The petition to reform DSM 5 speaks with the powerful voice of more than 50 mental-health associations. It represents a significant percentage of the potential customers who eventually will have to decide whether or not DSM 5 is worth buying and using.

If a legendary figure like Bob Spitzer can correct his mistakes, surely the American Psychiatric Association can do the same -- for the sake of protecting our patients and keeping the mental health field united.

Scary news. The Chair of the DSM 5 Task Force, Dr. David Kupfer, has indicated that 90 percent of the decisions on DSM 5 have already been made. Why so scary? DSM 5 proposes a radical redefinition of the boundary between mental disorder and normality.

Will the unfavorable press result in a more favorable DSM 5 outcome? We must hope so, because so few other corrective options are available. DSM 5 remains steadfast and rigid in its support of really bad proposals with extremely dangerous unintended public health consequences.